Rail to tie fastener



JL 5. NEWTON RAIL TO TIE FASTENER Feb. 25, 1969 Filed Aug. 22, 1967 F/GIJO F/Gfil R ump N7 in I A N 5 6 n J H G United States Patent 3,429,505 RAIL T0 TIE FASTENER John S. Newton, Glen Ellyn, lll., assignor to Portec, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 662,487 US. Cl. 238-349 3 Claims Int. Cl. E01b 9/ 00, 13/00, 21/04 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rail to tie fastener for permitting a controlled degree of the rail movement relative to the tie to minimize the effect of wave motion relative to the tie to reduce pumping of the tie in the ballast.

This invention relates to an improved rail fastener for holding railway rails to ties made of wood, concrete, or plastic material in a manner effectively to absorb wave motion in the rails and thereby minimize the tendency of the rails to exert a lifting force component on the ties, known as pumping the ties in the ballast.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of parts which will exert a substantially constant force on the rail flanges to permit a predetermined uniform maximum deflection of approximately one-quarter of an inch without lifting the tie, and not only hold the rails to gauge, but also deter longitudinal rail movement to complement the function of rail anchors, and restrain undue creeping when fast heavy moving loads are subjected to braking forces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction which lends itself to simple application and removal procedures thereby effecting savings in the expenditure of time, labor and maintenance factors in installation and service.

A further object is to provide a construction which is economical to make, and easy to assemble for use.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an assembled vertical cross sectional view of a typical installation.

FIG. 2 is a detail side elevation of the fastener which is embedded in the tie, and about which the various rail holding instrumentalities are assembled.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the fastener shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rail flange engaging pressure member or rail clip.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a single Belleville washer, as shown in side elevation by FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the peripherally flanged disk used in holding the super-imposed concave-convex Belleville washers assembled.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the disk shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a detail cross-section of one-half of the locking collar.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the portion of the collar shown in FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are detail views illustrating modifications of the means for holding the concavo-convex wash ers under compression.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the tie T, of any suitable material, supports the base of the rail R between appropriate simulated spike fastenings F, to be later referred to more in detail.

To assure complete insulation of the rail from the tie and fasteners, the rail base may rest on insulating pads P,

3,429,505 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 "ice and the upper portions of the rail flanges are provided with insulation pieces P on which the rail flange clips bear, as will presently appear. In each case it will be understood that the insulating material of P and P may be rubber, nylon, or other like material suitable for the purpose, and conforming to standards required to meet the pressure, weather, and temperature conditions likely to be encountered.

The fasteners F, preferably have their lower portions externally threaded or serrated, depending on whether they are cast or machined, as indicated at S for secure embedment in the tie, and are set to gauge. The medial portion of the body of each fastener is formed with a flange 1, preferably of appropriate angular shape to facilitate manipulation by a wrench or like tool, as for example when the threaded lower portion is to be embedded in a wood, plastic, or like tie.

The aforesaid fastener is also provided with an axial upper stem 2 terminating in an integral relatively extended head portion 3, which, as will later more fully appear, constitutes an abutment for a locking collar 4 consisting of opposite mating halves or sections 4a and 4b.

As will be seen from FIGS. 1 and 8, these laterally mating sections each have facing hollow portions, which receive and embrace the periphery of the head 3 as they are moved toward each other. When thus matched together, as shown in FIG. 1, these sections are securely seated in an upper recessed portion (FIG. 6) or cavity formed by a peripheral upturned flange 6a on the locking disk 6 whose central opening receives and embraces the stem 2 of the primary fastener.

The assembly also includes a tie and rail flange engaging clip 7 in the form of a spring steel strip whose medial portion is perforated to fit over the stem 2 while one ex tremity 8 is angularly disposed to bear on the upper face of the insulation P on the rail base and the other, lower extremity 8a is angled downwardly to rest on the tie surface.

The assembly is duplicated at each side of the rail.

A distinctive feature of the invention is to provide a predetermined constant spring pressure on the rail flange to assure a given controlled maximum range of movement to compensate for wave motion of the rail relative to the tie without causing the tie to pump on the ballast. This desirable objective is attained through the use of a pair of reversely disposed annular concave-convex or cupped washers 9 and 10 having their concave sides facing each other with their peripheral edges in engagement, and also having registering central openings to fit over the axial stem 2. These washers are confined between the flanged and thus recessed disk 6, and the rail flange engaging clip 7 and will exert a uniform pressure on the latter to permit the rail to have a given range of movement under rolling wheel loads without lifting the tie.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate modifications of the means for holding the washers compressed. FIG. 10 illustrates a post 2a and a cotter key, while FIG. 11 shows a nut and thread arrangement 2b for the same purpose.

The construction described provides for maintaining a predetermined range of restrained movement of the rail relative to the tie because of the close range-control afforded by the reversely disposed cupped Belleville washers. These washers are made of spring steel and have beneficial characteristics for the special environment described, as distinguished from coil springs whose convolutions do not provide constant uniform resistance under such widely different conditions as occur in railway track.

I claim:

1. A rail to tie fastener assembly comprising, in combination,

a fastener member embedded within a tie adjacent the base flange of a rail,

said member including an axial upper stem projecting above the plane of the rail flange, said member having means at the base of said upper stem disposed adjacent said rail flange to limit lateral movement of said rail,

a clip element medially supported by said upper stem, said clip element provided with an upper angular extremity positioned adjacent the upper surface of said rail flange and a lower angular extremity disposed adjacent the upper surface of said tie,

a pair of concave-convex spring washers also mounted on said upper stem and having their peripheral edge portions in mutual engagement while the medial bowed portions thereof are spaced apart along said upper stern,

retaining means detachably fitted to the upper portion of said upper stem above said washers and maintaining said washers under compression,

said retaining means engaging the medial bowed portion of the uppermost of said pair of Washers and said clip element engaging the medial bowed portion of the lowermost of said pair of washers, whereby said washers exert a constant predetermined pressure on said clip element.

2. A rail to tie fastener assembly according to claim 1, 25

wherein the free end of said upper stem is provided with a head projecting laterally of said stem,

and said detachable retaining means engages said stem head.

3. A rail to tie fastener comprising, in combination, a

tie embedded member, including,

a stem exposed above the upper surface of the tie and including a laterally projecting head at the free end thereof,

a rail flange and tie bearing spring clip medially supporteii by said stern,

a pair of concave-convex spring washers also mounted on said stem and having their peripheral edge portions in engagement while the medial bowed portions thereof are spaced apart along said stem,

and means on said stem compressing the medial portions of said washers to exert pressure on said clip,

said means including a disc having an annular upturned flange and a split locking collar engaging said head and confined within said upturned flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,320,259 10/ 19 19 Martens 238349 2,333,518 11/1943 Burkhardt 238-349 2,451,414 10/ 1948 Snyder 238--349 2,980,336 4/1961 Doll 238-351 FOREIGN PATENTS 221,725 5/ 1959 Australia.

DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner. 

